Bike Across Rhode Island (RI-USA)

From suburbia to unaffordable coastal New England!

Easy

Overview

If you're looking for a very convenient 2 day ride, this is an awesome trip with the option to spend a night in picturesque Newport. This route takes you from the northern tip of Rhode Island (Woonsocket) to the gorgeous swanky coastal area of Newport in the south. You can say you biked across a state in 1 day!

There are 4 distinct sections to this trail:

Blackstone River trail (Woonsocket to Central Falls) ~11 miles. This sections is entirely car-free bike path

Central Falls to Providence ~7 miles. Primarily urban riding with some separated paths and some bike lanes

East Bay Bike Path (Providence to Bristol) ~16 miles. This is very gorgeous section that is entirely car-free and gets you some nice views of the bay.

Bristol to Newport ~15 miles. This section is primarily on roads with no specific bike lanes, however the path is on very quiet roads. **If you would like to avoid this section there is a convenient ferry that takes you from Bristol to Newport.

Difficulty Explained

This trail is rated as easy given the proximity to resources, overall distance, flat path, and relative ease of bike path. The only tricky section is the portion on Newport Island.

Interactive map showing the complete route. Green marker indicates start point, red marker shows the end point.

Local Businesses

Food/Drink

Chennai Tiffins (Manville, RI): Great homecooked Indian food. .25 miles west of trail.

Borealis Coffee Company (Riverside, RI): Coffee Shop and good food. Directly off the trail.

Main Street Crepe Company (Warren, RI): Crepe place located on a fun street. Directly off the trail.

Pivotal Brewing Company Bristol (Bristol, RI): Great brewery with a ton of selections. Limited food options. . Directly off the trail.

Ragged Island Brewing Company (Portsmouth, RI): Brewery with stunning outdoor seating patio. .

Lodging

Suggest Local Businesses

Resources

Friendly Bicycle (Providence, RI): Bike shop in Providence. Few minutes from Trail.

Your Bike Shop (Riverside, RI): Great local bike shop. Directly off the trail.

Ten Speed Spokes (Newport, RI): Bike Shop. Located in town.

Notable Sites + Highlights

Valley Marsh Cumberland- Cool marsh area north of Providence that is right off the trail.

Brown University- World renown university located in Providence. Gorgeous campus with nice eating spots.

Herreshoff Marine Museum- Cool museum about maritime history located in Bristol.

Roger Williams University

The Breakers-Palatial coastal home of the Vanderbilts located right on the coast of Newport.

Logistics

Transportation To and From

To Start: Woonsocket is easily reachable by car. If you don't have access to a vehicle, you can always start the route in Providence, RI which has ample pubilc transportation. There is also an RIPTA Public bus from Providence to Woonsocket which allows bikes to be carried for free.
- If you are coming from the Northeast Corridor, the MBTA has a regional stop in Forge Park, MA about 10 miles away. .
To Finish: Newport is accessible via car. It is also possible, and fun, to access Newport via Ferry from either Providence or Bristol, but these ferries typically only operate in the summer months.
Finish to Start: If you don't feel like biking back, you do have the option to take a ferry from Newport to Providence (See above).

Recommended Gear

Bike: Any type of bike should suffice for this trail given it's all asphault.

Navigation

Signage: Outside of the East Bay trail, signage is limited so it is recommended to have a GPS or map handy while navigating the trail.

Resources Along the Way

Lodging: High concentration of lodging in Providence and Newport. Please note that Newport can get a bit pricey so plan ahead or look for more affordable Airbnb's.
Food & Water: Plentiful along the path
Cell Signal: No issue along this trail

Tips

Emergency Number (USA/Canada): 911 (+1 country code).

Important Warnings

Route Details

Distance(Miles)

100 mi

Duration

1-2 Days

Elevation(ft)

700

Countries

United States

Start/End Points

Woonsocket, RI -> Newport, RI

Route Format

Out and Back

Bike Lane Types

Bike Path

55%

Separated Bike Lane

15%

Shared Lane

30%

External Resources

Terms of Use: Cycling any route featured on this website is done entirely at your own risk. Before setting out, always check current route conditions, and any public or private land closures. While riding, obey all applicable laws, rules, and land-use restrictions, and ensure you carry appropriate safety and navigation equipment. The information provided on this site including route descriptions, maps, and recommendations is intended solely as a planning and inspirational resource and should be used in conjunction with your own research, judgment, and due diligence. The accuracy, completeness, and suitability of the information, and the judgment of the author(s) cannot be guaranteed. Spokenlocal.com, its partners, affiliates, and contributors assume no responsibility or liability for personal injury, property damage, or any other incidents that may occur while riding or following any route featured on this website.

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